Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Boston, Gravey, Ron P. and Pretty Things

Aside from getting the chance to catch-up with one of my best friends—Gravey—for a few hours in the car, to and from Boston; also aside from being gifted a bottle of Old Burton Extra from Fuller's Past Masters Series, and a bottle of Jopen and Monarchy of Musselland's birch bark-spiked Grodziskie; and aside, from the amazing beer selection (Pretty Things Jack D'Or, Cervesera del Montseny's Lupulus, Smoke and Dagger from Jack's Abbey and a cask Oatmeal Stout by Mayflower brewery) and righteous food (catfish po' boy, duck confit hash, and poutine) offered by Allston's own Deep Ellum. The highlight for me on my day trip to bean town was discussing hops and the hopping rates of 19th and early 20th century beers, with Dann Paquette of Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project—the best American historical brewer this side of the Pecos—and Ron Pattinson—the greatest beer statistician/historian this side of the Ijssel. For a beer geek who loves history it was like talking philosophy with Einstein and Picasso.

As Gravey put it on the ride home, "Those guys have forgotten more about beer than I will ever know."

And how, Gravey, and how.

If you're in the Boston area—hell even if you're not—go see both Ron and Dann (and hopefully Martha, too) at Meadhall in Cambridge, MA, tonight from 7 to 8pm. Ron will be signing books, and you might get a little insight into Pretty Thing's next Once Upon a Time brew...

Oh, and thanks to Deep Ellum, again, and Max Toste for all the hospitality! Max picked the Lupulus for me, and he chose right!